Powirgen is developing super-efficient and cheap solid-state electric generators and is looking for collaborators with good technical and/or scientific abilities to help us make our production equipment and bring this technology to market.
We will make thermal batteries real … AND …
We will make turbines in aircraft and piston engines on the ground and sea irrelevant.
Yes, it’s that big. Contact us at powirgen.com if you want to become part of this opportunity!
Several roles open at Energy and Policy Institute, which does great research on utility companies, with a focus on accountability
Data Engineer
This person will help build pipelines that pull data from regulatory agency APIs and scrape public records, develop research tools, and create data visualizations that support EPI’s investigations.
Research Manager
This person will lead our investigations in California, work closely with allies and reporters to expose efforts to undermine climate and clean energy progress and perpetuate energy injustice.
Research Fellow
This 18-month fellowship is for researchers who can contribute to investigations across EPI’s team. This person will help file public records requests and organize documents and data.
Applications are due June 17. The following links have more details about the positions, including salary ranges and application instructions.
Please share these opportunities with anyone who may be a good fit:
Hi everyone. My DC-based public affairs firm, Echo Communications Advisors, is hiring a Vice President. We focus exclusively on shaping clean energy and climate policy.
We're looking for someone who knows the energy and climate policy world from the inside — someone who has worked on Capitol Hill or in a federal agency and who understands not just communications strategy but how Washington and state capitals work.
This is a senior role for someone who lives and breathes the energy world, who has deep relationships in the energy policy community, and who is ready to serve as a trusted strategic counselor to clients navigating consequential policy moments. The right candidate knows how to move fast when a news cycle or committee vote demands it.
I'm wondering if you could have someone on the pod to give a full-throated defense of good-old-fashioned energy efficiency programs as a way to address capacity and affordability concerns. It's not as exciting as new technology, but it seems to be under threat politically because it does require upfront program costs (even though it provides benefits to everyone, even those not participating, by avoiding having to build more stuff). Maybe someone from ACEEE.
Hello! I would love for you to have on as a guest sometime someone from Climate Action Now (ClimateActionNow.com). They are a citizen advocacy organization that sets up lobbying actions people can make every day through their app or browser. They also have a weekly dose of climate hope which has many similar charts and graphs making us feel better about the energy transition. I was prompted to write this when I saw one of their videos explaining their effectiveness by explaining the impact one of their calls to action had on the New York State situation with Kathy Hochul weakening the state's climate actions, which I heard about on Voltz. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueXjsRHA8VM
Why are we still installing batteries on the sides of houses for homes that have EVs? Those EV batteries have way more capacity, but it's all locked away. Could you do a pod on this?
We're still installing batteries on the sides of houses mostly because EVs with vehicle-to-grid capabilities are relatively new and in most cases on the higher end of the trims/price range.
Home chargers with vehicle-to-grid capabilities are in a similar situation: they are much more expensive and relatively new to the market.
I'm looking for someone with experience in California's Direct Access program from the CPUC who can help me understand how to participate and buy electricity from non-utility entities/ESPs.
Direct contacts at CPUC who work with the Direct Access program would also be very helpful!
Ironically, I feel that the CPUC site has a lot of info and resources for ESPs, but not so much if you want to be a buyer.
When you have an Expert on, you are an excellent Interviewer who gives the guest plenty of room to explain/answer your question.
But when you host someone like Shayle Kann, you tend to become argumentative and can talk over your guest's answers. I understand that there is a place for adding to or correcting a guest's answer if you feel that it's necessary, but at least give them a chance to answer fully before cutting them off or changing the topic.
So sorry about losing your father, David. May his memories be a blessing. And thanks for that terrific graph. Another indication that keeping it in the ground is not essential for radically reducing fossil fuel use. Reducing fossil demand through renewables and storage works.
You have not posted too many podcasts, in any month. I have listened to all of them and await the next ones! Question: there are maybe 30 Governor races across the county this year, what do you think about a position paper on things like; having legislatures pass laws mandating grid utilization at 60% (versus the current 40-50%); how VPPs with a focus on battery storage should be a position for a Gubernatorial candidate? What should governors know about transmission versus distribution; how onshoring the "electric stack" is a national security issue? Also, sorry about the loss of your father, it's never easy to lose someone you love.
Great to see this VPP bill pass. The detail I'm curious about: does the VPP capacity count against the data center's obligation on a deliverability-tested basis, or is it closer to energy matching? That distinction seems like where the bill either has teeth or doesn't.
David frequently brings up concerns that manufacturers of connected energy technology will enshitify their products, reducing their benefit to the owner and society in general. Here's an recent small example from my life.
Sometime last year I got an email from Google Home:
"Starting October 25, 2025, Google will no longer support the Nest Learning Thermostat (1st gen) introduced in 2011 and Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd gen) launched in 2012."
"You’ll still be able to adjust the temperature, mode, schedules, and settings on your thermostat – and existing schedules should continue to work uninterrupted. However, your thermostat will no longer receive software or security updates, will not have any Nest app or Google Home app controls, and will not support other connected features like Home/Away Assist."
So the 'smart' connected device becomes a 'dumb' disconnected device because the manufacturer can't bother to maintain the software to address new security issues or other changes to wireless networking. (I ended up replacing it with a mid-level Ecobee thermostat because of various reviews highlighting their good data practices).
The Google Nest downgrade was mentioned in Wired's great article about Fisker car owners that are trying to keep their vehicles operating after the company shut down ("The Righteous EV Owners Who Won’t Let Their Broken Cars Die" by Aarian Marshall).
I'm ambivalent about the Nest thermostat as an example of enshittification. I get the argument, but I also am aware that no piece of electronics lasts forever, and will someday get replaced. The chipsets for wifi and bluetooth fall further and further behind the newest standard, and especially with new smarthome standards coming online that older tech can't talk to, at some point it will get left behind.
If google had continued 1st gen support for a few years more, the operational cost-per-month difference amounts to a few dollars.
My landlord and I agreed to replace the old unsupported Nest with the new one, taking the discount offer that Google offered us, and to be honest, it's pretty rad. The ability to integrate sensors - including third party ones thru matter protocol - means that it can be even more dynamic with temp management.
Great podcasts; keep them coming. But don't burn yourself out. The facts and concepts you share are important, but I value your opinions about them even more because they give me a frame of reference for how to think about the topics under discussion.
I look forward to every podcast you put out, and prioritize my time to listen. That being said, take breaks as you need to, man! Don’t burn yourself out, this country needs your voice, really!
--- CLIMATE JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES ---
--- JOB OPPORTUNITIES ---
Powirgen is developing super-efficient and cheap solid-state electric generators and is looking for collaborators with good technical and/or scientific abilities to help us make our production equipment and bring this technology to market.
We will make thermal batteries real … AND …
We will make turbines in aircraft and piston engines on the ground and sea irrelevant.
Yes, it’s that big. Contact us at powirgen.com if you want to become part of this opportunity!
Several roles open at Energy and Policy Institute, which does great research on utility companies, with a focus on accountability
Data Engineer
This person will help build pipelines that pull data from regulatory agency APIs and scrape public records, develop research tools, and create data visualizations that support EPI’s investigations.
Research Manager
This person will lead our investigations in California, work closely with allies and reporters to expose efforts to undermine climate and clean energy progress and perpetuate energy injustice.
Research Fellow
This 18-month fellowship is for researchers who can contribute to investigations across EPI’s team. This person will help file public records requests and organize documents and data.
Applications are due June 17. The following links have more details about the positions, including salary ranges and application instructions.
Please share these opportunities with anyone who may be a good fit:
Data Engineer: https://energyandpolicy.org/data-engineer/
Research Manager: https://energyandpolicy.org/research-manager/
Research Fellow: https://energyandpolicy.org/research-fellow/
Hi everyone. My DC-based public affairs firm, Echo Communications Advisors, is hiring a Vice President. We focus exclusively on shaping clean energy and climate policy.
We're looking for someone who knows the energy and climate policy world from the inside — someone who has worked on Capitol Hill or in a federal agency and who understands not just communications strategy but how Washington and state capitals work.
This is a senior role for someone who lives and breathes the energy world, who has deep relationships in the energy policy community, and who is ready to serve as a trusted strategic counselor to clients navigating consequential policy moments. The right candidate knows how to move fast when a news cycle or committee vote demands it.
Here's the full listing: https://echocomms.com/vice-president-echo-communications-advisors/
Hello Volts community, my employer the Maryland Energy Administration is hiring for the following position on our policy team:
Rate Case Manager
Advanced degree and 3+ years experience. $110k-$126k/year.
https://energy.maryland.gov/SiteAssets/Pages/InsideMEA/jobs/Rate%20Case%20Manager%20MEA%20Job%20Posting.pdf.
--- QUESTIONS ---
I'm wondering if you could have someone on the pod to give a full-throated defense of good-old-fashioned energy efficiency programs as a way to address capacity and affordability concerns. It's not as exciting as new technology, but it seems to be under threat politically because it does require upfront program costs (even though it provides benefits to everyone, even those not participating, by avoiding having to build more stuff). Maybe someone from ACEEE.
Hello! I would love for you to have on as a guest sometime someone from Climate Action Now (ClimateActionNow.com). They are a citizen advocacy organization that sets up lobbying actions people can make every day through their app or browser. They also have a weekly dose of climate hope which has many similar charts and graphs making us feel better about the energy transition. I was prompted to write this when I saw one of their videos explaining their effectiveness by explaining the impact one of their calls to action had on the New York State situation with Kathy Hochul weakening the state's climate actions, which I heard about on Voltz. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueXjsRHA8VM
Why are we still installing batteries on the sides of houses for homes that have EVs? Those EV batteries have way more capacity, but it's all locked away. Could you do a pod on this?
We're still installing batteries on the sides of houses mostly because EVs with vehicle-to-grid capabilities are relatively new and in most cases on the higher end of the trims/price range.
Home chargers with vehicle-to-grid capabilities are in a similar situation: they are much more expensive and relatively new to the market.
--- SHARE WORK, ASK FOR HELP, FIND COLLABORATORS ---
Hello Volts community!
I'm looking for someone with experience in California's Direct Access program from the CPUC who can help me understand how to participate and buy electricity from non-utility entities/ESPs.
Direct contacts at CPUC who work with the Direct Access program would also be very helpful!
Ironically, I feel that the CPUC site has a lot of info and resources for ESPs, but not so much if you want to be a buyer.
Thank you so much for any help here or via DMs!
--- CLIMATE EVENTS & MEETUPS ---
--- EVERYTHING ELSE ---
The pace and quality of pods over the last couple of months has been amazing. I listen to it all, but you know ... take care of yourself.
I do listen to most of the pods (95%) but admittedly on 1.2 speed 🙊 keep the pods coming! Also thank for you for being an emotional human ❤️🩹
I listen to all of the podcasts. Thank you for all the great content!
Constructive Criticism?
When you have an Expert on, you are an excellent Interviewer who gives the guest plenty of room to explain/answer your question.
But when you host someone like Shayle Kann, you tend to become argumentative and can talk over your guest's answers. I understand that there is a place for adding to or correcting a guest's answer if you feel that it's necessary, but at least give them a chance to answer fully before cutting them off or changing the topic.
I have seen a couple of posts noting that Volts has 100,000 subscribers -- Congratulations.
Is that figure Paid subscribers or All subscribers?
So sorry for your loss. And thank you for including all of us in your newsletters. Your contribution is so helpful.
Only the body dies. You're not the body.
So sorry about losing your father, David. May his memories be a blessing. And thanks for that terrific graph. Another indication that keeping it in the ground is not essential for radically reducing fossil fuel use. Reducing fossil demand through renewables and storage works.
You have not posted too many podcasts, in any month. I have listened to all of them and await the next ones! Question: there are maybe 30 Governor races across the county this year, what do you think about a position paper on things like; having legislatures pass laws mandating grid utilization at 60% (versus the current 40-50%); how VPPs with a focus on battery storage should be a position for a Gubernatorial candidate? What should governors know about transmission versus distribution; how onshoring the "electric stack" is a national security issue? Also, sorry about the loss of your father, it's never easy to lose someone you love.
I am listening. Condolences for your loss. And appreciation for his life.
Sorry for your loss David. Losing your Dad can be hard. Hang in there.
So sorry to hear about your dad, David.
So sorry for your loss. Take care.
Great to see this VPP bill pass. The detail I'm curious about: does the VPP capacity count against the data center's obligation on a deliverability-tested basis, or is it closer to energy matching? That distinction seems like where the bill either has teeth or doesn't.
David frequently brings up concerns that manufacturers of connected energy technology will enshitify their products, reducing their benefit to the owner and society in general. Here's an recent small example from my life.
Sometime last year I got an email from Google Home:
"Starting October 25, 2025, Google will no longer support the Nest Learning Thermostat (1st gen) introduced in 2011 and Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd gen) launched in 2012."
"You’ll still be able to adjust the temperature, mode, schedules, and settings on your thermostat – and existing schedules should continue to work uninterrupted. However, your thermostat will no longer receive software or security updates, will not have any Nest app or Google Home app controls, and will not support other connected features like Home/Away Assist."
So the 'smart' connected device becomes a 'dumb' disconnected device because the manufacturer can't bother to maintain the software to address new security issues or other changes to wireless networking. (I ended up replacing it with a mid-level Ecobee thermostat because of various reviews highlighting their good data practices).
The Google Nest downgrade was mentioned in Wired's great article about Fisker car owners that are trying to keep their vehicles operating after the company shut down ("The Righteous EV Owners Who Won’t Let Their Broken Cars Die" by Aarian Marshall).
I'm ambivalent about the Nest thermostat as an example of enshittification. I get the argument, but I also am aware that no piece of electronics lasts forever, and will someday get replaced. The chipsets for wifi and bluetooth fall further and further behind the newest standard, and especially with new smarthome standards coming online that older tech can't talk to, at some point it will get left behind.
If google had continued 1st gen support for a few years more, the operational cost-per-month difference amounts to a few dollars.
My landlord and I agreed to replace the old unsupported Nest with the new one, taking the discount offer that Google offered us, and to be honest, it's pretty rad. The ability to integrate sensors - including third party ones thru matter protocol - means that it can be even more dynamic with temp management.
Sorry for your loss.
Great podcasts; keep them coming. But don't burn yourself out. The facts and concepts you share are important, but I value your opinions about them even more because they give me a frame of reference for how to think about the topics under discussion.
So sorry for your loss, David, it’s always hard..
I look forward to every podcast you put out, and prioritize my time to listen. That being said, take breaks as you need to, man! Don’t burn yourself out, this country needs your voice, really!
Cheers!